[Taipei 台北] Longshan Temple MRT Station stroll 龙山寺站小散步 : Xinfu Market 新富市场 + Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥 + Bopiliao 剝皮寮－Lynda's Taiwan-logue

< Visited in Mar & Sep 2016 >

Mention Huaxi Street Night Market 华西街夜市 and Longshan Temple 龙山寺, and most tourists should not find them foreign. Particularly the latter, a centuries-old landmark, with construction dated as early as 1740 during Qianlong's reign and subsequently undergoing multiple reconstructions. It would have bore witness to the heydays of Mongka 艋舺 district - synonymous with Tainan 台南 and Lugang 鹿港, and collectively referred to as "一府二鹿三艋舺" as the top three trading hubs - giving rise to the development of the area. Explore the now-named Wanhua 万华 district on foot to find remnants of its old-time charm.

Using Longshan Temple MRT Station 龙山寺站 to look for where the locals go and what they do in the vicinity, I found new gems to explore at Xinfu Market 新富市场, Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥 and Bopiliao Historic Block 剝皮寮历史街区.

The mentioned places are accessible from Longshan Temple MRT Station 龙山寺站 (BL10, blue line), exit 3, though steering off the path may bring you pleasant surprises.

▼ I had turned right into the traditional market Dongshan (Xinfu) Market 东山水街(新富)市场 after this corner 7-11 and fruit store.

☷☷☷☷☷ Xinfu Market 新富市场 ☷☷☷☷☷

Post-visit: the building has taken a new form as U-mkt (or Shintomicho Cultural Market on Google Maps) 新富町文化市场 from 2017, with new elements and F&B, alongside the traditional market area and stalls. Check it out here.

My footsteps often slow down as I walk through traditional markets, an increasingly rare sight in modern cities. I am brought back to my childhood days, watching the locals do their "marketing", soaking in the colours and smells of fresh produce and dry provisions. Taiwan being a fruit kingdom has also given me much pleasure of buying really cheap and good fresh fruits at marketplaces.

▼ There are several small alleys off the main indoor street of stalls. I turned left into one of these to cut out to the main road where my next destination is located.

Venture into such alleys to find small eateries. As obscure as they may be, these are where good and cheap food are, and where the locals go.

☷☷☷☷☷ Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥 ☷☷☷☷☷

Turning out from the market and a few units away brought me to breakfast...

This eatery is a regular haunt of locals, though foodies who are always on the prowl for old haunts and Japanese tourists armed with their travel guides form another are another common sight.

The menu is only in chinese, worth doing some prior homework if you need help deciding what to order. I overheard a staff speaking fluent Japanese, probably an indication of the eatery's popularity with said tourists.

▼ There is no price indicated in the menu, but reference to what my friend and I ordered for 1 breakfast: 3 servings of the fried pork + 1 bamboo shoot with soy sauce + 2 bowls of porridge = NT$200. It was definitely an economical and very satisfying local breakfast.

The signature here is fried braised pork 红烧肉 - top item on the menu! - which may be prepared in different ways in Taiwan. While braised first, it is then fried to a crispy-skin goodness, keeping the lean and fatty meat within, served in small slices to the table. (I find its resemblance to the pork chop from where I come from.) There is also a number of other appetizers and dishes, primarily chicken and pork (meat and innards), and some greens (seasonal bamboo shoot, yumzzz).

▼ Pork cheek 嘴边肉

▼ (Seasonal) Bamboo shoot with soya sauce 茭白笋拌酱油 (also available with mayonnaise)

Everything goes well with porridge, which is not even on the menu as every customer knows to order this separately - just tell the server how many bowls you want when you hand over your order sheet or when you need seconds, considering it comes in rather small portion. Even elderly customers easily eat at least two bowls along with the dishes.

▼ Patrons can also "takeaway" the fried pork, uncut and for enjoying at home.

☷☷☷☷☷ Bopiliao Historic Block 剥皮寮历史街区 ☷☷☷☷☷

Right opposite Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥 is a cluster of old Baroque 巴洛克-style shophouses, where Bopiliao Historic Block 剥皮寮历史街区 is situated.

The re-constructed cultural and historical landmark presents what the area looked like in its trading heydays, with exhibition areas and many photo-friendly spots.

☷☷☷☷☷

Walking back into Xinfu Market 新富市场 to finish strolling to the other end, a traditional breakfast stall right opposite caught my eye.

Friendly elderly ladies serve a steady stream of customers, with soy bean milk, dough fritter, omelette pancake 蛋饼, sandwiches and more. Having satisfied my tummy at Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥, I walked away with a cup of unsweetened, warm soy bean milk.

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Xinfu Market 新富市场
Address --- No. 70, Sanshui Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 台北市，万华区，三水街70号

檢視較大的地圖

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Zhouji Porridge 周记肉粥
Address --- No. 104, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City 台北市，万华区，广州街104号

檢視較大的地圖

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Bopiliao Historic Block 剥皮寮历史街区
(Website in En, Chn)
Address --- Lane 173, Kangding Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City 台北市，万华区，康定路173巷